Free tax template
IRS fax cover sheet
Filling in a cover sheet for a fax to the IRS: the form or notice number, the taxpayer reference exactly as the notice or form instructions require it, a callback number and the page count. Fill it in below and download it as a PDF or a Word file — free, and nothing you type is sent to us.
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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This facsimile and any documents with it are intended only for the person or entity named above and may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this information is prohibited. If you received this fax in error, please notify the sender by telephone and destroy all copies.
Sent with FaxBolt — send and receive faxes online at faxbolt.com
What to put on a fax to the IRS
- The form or notice number you are responding to — CP2000, Form 2848, Form 8821 and so on. This is what routes your fax inside the service centre.
- Your name exactly as it appears on the return, and the business name if the fax is about an entity.
- A taxpayer reference, in the form your instructions ask for. Programmes differ on whether that is the last four digits or the whole number, and some IRS programmes publish their own cover sheet that replaces a generic one — the instructions for your notice or form govern, not this page.
- A daytime phone number. If a page is unreadable, this is how the examiner reaches you instead of restarting the correspondence.
- The date and the total page count including the cover sheet, so a missing page is obvious at their end.
- One line saying what is enclosed: "Response to notice CP2000 dated 14 July 2026, 6 pages".
Which field to use for what
The generator has one set of fields, so put the identifiers where the recipient will look for them:
- Notice or form number → Re / subject: "Response to notice CP2000 dated 14 July 2026".
- Taxpayer reference → Re / subject or Message, in whatever form the instructions ask for.
- Your name as filed → From (name); the IRS service centre → To (company).
- What is enclosed → Message: "Signed Form 2848 and supporting statement".
- Page count including this sheet → Pages (including cover).
Where the IRS publishes its own cover sheet for a programme, use theirs instead of this one and fill in every field it asks for.
Follow the instructions on identifiers
A cover sheet is a routing page that sits face-up on a shared tray, so the instinct to keep identifying numbers short is a good one. But the IRS decides what each programme needs: some ask for a reference, some for the full number, and some publish their own cover sheet that must be used instead.
Read the notice or the form instructions and copy the identifiers exactly as asked — no more and no less. Do not add bank details or dates of birth that the form behind the cover sheet already carries.
Where to find the right IRS fax number
There is no single IRS fax number, and we deliberately do not publish one. The number depends on the form, the notice and sometimes the state you file from, and the IRS changes them.
Take the number from the notice you are answering — it is printed on the letter itself — or from the instructions for your form on irs.gov. If the instructions give no fax number, that submission is not accepted by fax and must go by mail or through the IRS online account.
Before you send
- Sign anything that needs signing, by hand. Forms sent by fax or post generally need a handwritten signature — an electronic signature on Form 2848 is accepted through the IRS online submission route, not on a faxed copy.
- Send the pages in the order the instructions ask for, cover sheet first.
- Keep the transmission confirmation with your copy of the response — it is your evidence of the date you replied.
- Follow the deadline and the method your notice specifies. Where fax is the accepted route, aim for a successful transmission before the due date and keep the confirmation — some submissions must be received by the date, not merely sent by it.
Faxing it without a fax machine
Download the cover sheet, then upload it together with your documents in the browser and send to the number on the notice. FaxBolt delivers to US and Canadian numbers, up to 350 pages or 50 MB per fax, and shows the delivery result for your records.
Frequently asked questions
Does the IRS require a fax cover sheet?
For ordinary correspondence and notice replies, no rule requires one, but a fax without it is harder to route. Some programmes require their own cover sheet, so check the instructions for your form before using a generic one.
What should an IRS fax cover sheet include?
The form or notice number, your name as filed, the taxpayer reference your instructions ask for, a daytime phone number, the date, the total page count including the cover, and a one-line description of what is enclosed.
Should I write my Social Security number on it?
Write the taxpayer reference the way your notice or form instructions ask for it. Where they leave it open, a partial reference is the safer choice on a page that sits face-up on a shared tray, and the full number stays on the form behind it.
What fax number do I send it to?
The one printed on the notice you are answering, or the one in the instructions for your form on irs.gov. Numbers vary by form and state and change over time, which is why this page does not list any.
Can I fax the IRS from my phone?
Yes. Scan the pages with your phone, download the cover sheet here, and send both from the browser — no fax machine involved.